Touched my phone in a cradle when driving

1990xrider

I was making a hands free call, but then it glitched and the sound was coming out of a bluetooth speaker i coudlnt here. i tapped the phone to change the speaker so i could hear it. it was mounted in a cradle. is this illegal? im worrying someone saw me and reported me.

wongataa

Yes it is forbidden but it is highly unlikely anyone would have spotted it and reported it.

1990xrider

wongataa said:

Yes it is forbidden but it is highly unlikely anyone would have spotted it and reported it.

I read that it's not illegal to use if in cradle as it only covers handheld devices, the only thing they could charge you with is driving without due care and attention? 

1990xrider

wongataa said:

Yes it is forbidden but it is highly unlikely anyone would have spotted it and reported it.

"

• There is no law to prevent tapping your phone on a fixed mount, however police can still charge you for driving without due care and attention or careless driving.
• "

[Deleted User]

Hand yourself in at the nearest police station and confess to your crime 

1990xrider

Isn't using a phone in a cradle considered hands free use, therefore perfectly legal providing it isnt a distraction?

Car_54

1990xrider said:

Isn't using a phone in a cradle considered hands free use, therefore perfectly legal providing it isnt a distraction?

Yes. The law only forbids using a "hand-held" device.

1990xrider

Car_54 said:

1990xrider said:

Isn't using a phone in a cradle considered hands free use, therefore perfectly legal providing it isnt a distraction?

Yes. The law only forbids using a "hand-held" device.

Ok so I'm good then? Sorry i think i misunderstood it

400ixl

The rules changed on the 25th March 2022 where pretty much any touching of the phone even in a cradle is now illegal.

There are a few exceptions such as using it for contactless payments provided the car is stationary. Tapping your phone in a cradle whilst moving is not an exception for pretty much anything now.

Highly unlikely that anyone would have reported you though. But next time, you should pull over before doing anything on the phone, even in the cradle to be safely on the right side of the law.

1990xrider

400ixl said:

The rules changed on the 25th March 2022 where pretty much any touching of the phone even in a cradle is now illegal.

There are a few exceptions such as using it for contactless payments provided the car is stationary. Tapping your phone in a cradle whilst moving is not an exception for pretty much anything now.

Highly unlikely that anyone would have reported you though. But next time, you should pull over before doing anything on the phone, even in the cradle to be safely on the right side of the law.

That's what I thought but (I can't put a link here), but the rules seem to have only changed for handheld phones? The rules for hand free are still the same 

oldagetraveller1

"im worrying someone saw me and reported me."

Yes, saw it in my rearview mirror. It was recorded on my rear window dashcam. The relevant files have been sent to the feds for their consideration.

Not really!